Research Fund Misuse Reporting Center

This bulletin board has been established to receive reports of research fund irregularities in order to prevent misuse of research funds and to create a transparent and clean campus research environment. Reports submitted to the reporting center will be responded to after review.

What is lab fund creation?

Lab fund creation refers to the act of collecting personnel expenses paid to participating researchers such as student researchers and using them for personal purposes or as general operating expenses for the research lab (managed and used collectively).

Reporting
Reportable matters
  • Matters concerning misuse of research funds
  • Matters concerning collection of personnel expenses from participants and joint management of lab fund (bulk management of bank accounts or stamps, collecting a fixed amount of personnel expenses, etc.)
Reporting method
  • If you witness or are aware of lab fund misuse or similar irregularities, please download the "Research Fund Misuse Reporting Form," fill it out, and submit it to the Research Fund Misuse Reporting Center via email at researchclean@kaist.ac.kr.
Our passion for integrity

  • Upright laboratory

  • Transparent laboratory

  • Happy laboratory

NO joint fund!

In no circumstance should a principal investigator instruct or demand students or other research personnel to create lab funds.

NO collection or
false purchase!

Lab funds cannot be created through the collection of wages and research allowances, or false business trip expense/purchases.

  • Stay Ture. Find Truth

  • As honest as one’s skills

  • Integrity can never be excessive

  • I’m an upright researcher

  • HONEST KAIST

KAIST Research Fund Misuse Reporting Center
【Reference】 Laws/rules and Q&A regarding prohibition of research fund misuse
Basis Law Details
Public Notice by the Ministry of Science and ICT Guidelines for the Use of Research and Development Expenses of National Research and Development PRojects Article 33 (Prohibition of Unjust Collection of Research and Development Expenses)
  • Executives and staff affiliated with the research institution (including school teachers as defined in Article 14 (2) of the Higher Education Act; hereinafter the same) or participating researchers shall not engage in the act of collecting research and development expenses, in whole or in part, without justifiable reason (hereinafter “unjust collection of research and development expenses”).
Government manual National Research and Development Innovation Act manual (별권1, page 14)* Unjust collection of student labor costs is subject to sanctions under the National Research and Development Innovation Act
  • Failure to pay student labor costs to student researchers
  • Collecting and managing or using student labor costs previously paid to student researchers
KAIST Rules Regulations on Ethics for Faculty Article 8 (Research Contract) In signing research contracts, faculty shall follow the relevant procedures and regulations as set forth by the university; in particular, faculty members shall comply with ethical and legal obligations in receiving and executing research grants
Guidelines for the Establishment of Research Ethics Paragraph 2 of Article 10 (Research Misbehavior)
  • Researchers who commit any of the following either intentionally or by gross negligence shall be held responsible for research misbehavior.
    • Providing false statements or reports on research achievements
    • Exaggerating, downsizing or manipulating research data and deriving inaccurate results
    • Overlooking unjust acts in research
    • Executing research funds for inappropriate purposes

* Web ERP > Research > Board > Announcements > National Research and Development Innovation Act manual (June 2021)

Q / A
  • Q1
    Is it possible to collect lab funds for the repair and maintenance of general equipment in the research lab?
    • A
      No. Personnel expenses paid to individual students cannot be collected or retrieved for common purposes within the research lab. Once deposited into an individual bank account, it becomes personal property, and any act of forcibly collecting it against one's will is illegal.
  • Q2
    Can lab funds be used to cover repair/maintenance costs for lab equipment and devices?
    • A
      No. Maintenance costs for lab equipment or devices should be covered using the research funds allocated for the specific project.
  • Q3
    The purchase of equipment for general purposes is inevitable in the laboratory. From which expense account of the university can this be executed?
    • A
      The university has allowed the execution of expenses related to lab operation and student life as announced on November 18, 2016 (Research Support Team-2012, Installation and Operation Guide for Laboratory Operation Support Expenses). See the attached document of the relevant notice for details on permissible and non-permissible items.
    • A
      Lab operating expenses can only be allocated for national research and development projects, with a budget within 0.5% of personnel expenses (internal + external + student).
  • Q4
    Why is lab fund creation prohibited?
    • A
      Collecting student labor costs for personal use (private benefit) or creating lab funds and spending them for general purposes within the research lab falls under research fund misuse (dedicated research funds). It is a violation of the university's research ethics and can result in disciplinary action as well as criminal penalties for embezzlement.